


We're Neither of Us the Same

by shinkonokokoro



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-04
Updated: 2011-09-03
Packaged: 2017-10-24 04:32:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/259042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinkonokokoro/pseuds/shinkonokokoro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose never found the Doctor in her time jumps. She has been jumping from universe to universe so long, she is practically not human. Eleven doesn't like dealing with her. Eleven tells Rory and Amy her name is 'Bad Wolf.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a Then-There's-Us DW prompt

"Erm. Doctor." Amy leaned forwards to whisper into her ear.

"Amy! Yes! What is it!" He whirled wildly.

"I think that woman—"

"Woman?"

"Rory and I noticed that woman is watching you."

The Doctor stopped so suddenly that Rory ran into him. "Where..." he said lowly, still.

"She's across the street," Rory said, rubbing his nose.

"Blonde?" The Doctor asked, tilting his head.

"Yeah. You know her?" Amy said.

"We need to go." He looked around quickly, darting down an alley.

"Doctor, I think I've seen her before!" Rory panted up next to him.

"Probably have!" the Doctor said distractedly, searching out the next path. It was only when they were safely behind the doors of the TARDIS that he stopped running.

"Okay. Okay, Doctor? That's not a natural reaction to a blonde," Amy accused, hard on the Doctor's heels. "What's going on. _Explain_."

"Yes. I second that thought. What the hell is going on?" Rory asked, coming up on the Doctor's other side.

Looking between the two, the Doctor's face flickered with emotion. He pushed his hair back on his head, staring into the console and then let out a yell and ducked from between the Ponds, running down the hallway.

"Woah. Touchy much?"

Rory nodded. "Um."

"Yup. Pretty much." Amy looked over at her husband, folding her arms. "We've got to find out who that woman is."

"Girlfriend?"

Amy rolled her eyes. "I don't think he's capable of having a girlfriend."

"That's unkind. I say wife."

"Wife? Rory! What did I just—"

"A wife is more likely to put up with stuff than a girlfriend."

"Ex-wife. Then."

They shared a glance and then shrugged, heading off to find the Doctor.

* * *

He didn't tell them. No matter how much they pestered, he always changed the subject and took them off on some wild chase on a new planet in a new world. Now that they were looking, however, Amy and Rory saw her everywhere. She was on the street corner on Darikus 5. She was on the rig with them when it was about to go down on Mallyn. She sat waiting for them when the exited the cafe on Ixckshyshus (Amy never could pronounce that one correctly). The Doctor kept this secret carefully guarded.

"Are you ever going to introduce me?" the woman said as she dropped into a chair next to the Doctor at the country club. Which made him shriek like a little girl and then rabbit up to his feet. The woman grabbed his wrist and yanked him back.

Amy and Rory jumped, Amy's eyes wide and Rory's mouth slack.

She smiled at them both, hand still firmly wrapped around the Doctor's wrist. She turned the expression up on the Doctor, eyes wide, her teeth pressing down on her bottom lip. "Well..."

The Doctor looked over at Amy and Rory, flickers of emotions running through his eyes as his lips remained pinched. "Amy. Rory. This is Bad Wolf."

"Bad—what kind of name is that?" Amy blurted.

Bad Wolf laughed, startling them both with the flash of gold from her eyes.

"Rory," Amy bit out of the side of her mouth, gripping the arms of the chair tightly.

"I saw it," he returned, leg jiggling.

"Oh come on! I'm not going to hurt you. If you didn't take all of your cues from _this_ one, you'd take a look at me and see I don't mean any of you harm," the blonde laughed.

"Then why've you got his wrist in a death grip?"

She sighed and loosened her fingers on the Doctor's wrist. "I just don't want him running off is all. He's extremely hard to get pinned down." The smile suddenly seemed very dangerous. "Besides. He's just mad."

"I'm _not_ mad!" He snapped, studiously staring down at the pavement, eyes wide.

"Doctor..." Bad Wolf whined, leaning against him. He stiffened visibly. She sighed and then sat, shifting her hand so her fingers were laced with his. "Fine. Be like that. You've been running so far, so fast, all to avoid me."

The Doctor said nothing.

"I'm not... Oh for the love of... Excuse me, Ponds. I'm going to borrow him for a minute." She stood and dragged the Doctor up with her. Heading off around the corner, the Doctor held his arm ramrod straight, bent away from her.

"We—"

"Are so following," Amy interrupted, dragging her husband after them, the two of them crouching down, stretching their heads out as if that would make them hear better.

"Come on. You couldn't just sit and _talk_ to me for a spell?"

"Rose, you _can't_ be here!"

"How do I look? Do I look like me today? Some days I don't, you know. I miss you."

"You have to go. I don't want you talking to Amy and Rory."

"Why? Newest flavour of the day can't meet the old favourite?"

Silence stretched and when Amy risked peering around the corner, the Doctor was staring away from the blonde woman, shoulders tight and neck bowed.

"Please go. I can't... I can't anymore."

Bad Wolf's brows drew in, more gold flashing through her eyes. "I miss you, you know."

"Oh Rose... I..."

"Yeah. Never could get the words out, could you."

"Stop it," he threatened lowly.

"Or what. You can't do anything. I'm Bad Wolf. I create myself! And look what I've created!" Her voice edged upwards, turning shrill. "Here I am, popping through universes! I've been as many places as you have now, Doctor! The least you could do is show me the decency of stopping and g _iving_ me the _time_ of bloody day! After all, that's you—last Time Lord, and you've got all the bleeding time in the world, haven't you!" She dropped her arms ending in fists and sighed, so weary. "But you haven't got the time for me..."

The Doctor took a step forward, arms reaching out before he stiffened and pulled them back. "Rose, you've got to go. This..." He waved his hands at her. "This was never supposed to happen. It _shouldn't_ have been able to happen."

"But I'm Rose Tyler," she said quietly. "Defender of the Earth. Stuff of Legends. But I'm only a half now, Doctor. I'm only half without you."

"Enough. I'm going. I have to go. I have to..." He looked around, still a bit dazed. "Come along, Ponds!"

Amy and Rory scrambled up from their hiding spot and trotted after the Doctor. "Stay away from him," Amy growled as they passed.

The blonde only smiled, so sadly that it took Amy's breath away and shook her head. "Take care, little waters. You too will dry."

* * *

Amy woke with a gasp that night, Rory tucked under her chin, arms wound around her tightly. He squirmed as she shifted, but relaxed away as she murmured, "Need to pee." She by-passed the loo and slipped out of their room, pulling one of Rory's over-sized shirts on before she left. Padding down the hall, Amy drew back into the shadows when a glimmer of light approached. She swallowed her gasp as the apparition passed her, a familiar blonde woman in glowing white. Amy crept after her.

Her first stop was a room in the TARDIS Amy had never seen before. After the ghostly figure left, Amy poked her head in, seeing it littered with _things_. It was all normal things any girl would own. A hair dryer. Big pink fluffy duvet. Slippers. A robe. Hairbrush. Shirts. Jumpers. Shoes. Dresses. It was a whole life packed into a room. She hurried down the hall after the fading light until it disappeared into a second room.

"Doctor..." The echoing voice said softly.

Through a crack in the door, Amy saw him look up, at her. Like he hadn't when they'd been at the country club. His eyes were deep and sad, full of memories. He wasn't surprised. The woman bent forward, kissing him lightly on the forehead.

"Do you think of me?"

"I can't stop," he murmured.

"Don't look so sad. It's not your fault. Always with the guilt. I know you changed. To throw me off. You can't let me go though."

"You can't let _me_ go," he countered fiercely.

She smiled softly, kneeling in front of him where he sat on his bed. "I still love you. I haven't changed that much."

He closed his eyes, brow furrowed. "Go, Rose."

"Don't you need me?" She sing-songed, caressing his cheek.

Amy didn't miss the part where his head leaned into it while his body leaned away. And how Bad Wolf rose up to kiss his lips. And how his arms were suddenly crushing the woman to his chest. Amy jerked back. Pulling herself to her feet, she quickly ran back to the room she shared with Rory, easing into his arms even as her heart pounded wildly. It was a while before she fell asleep.


	2. Part 2

After that night, which Amy keeps to herself, they don't see Bad Wolf for another month. Amy didn't grill the Doctor, keeping conversation light and not focused around the mysterious, beautiful blonde that seemed to be so caught up in the Doctor's past.

But then they ran smack into her right when the Gaflorgans were bearing down on them. She smiled, seeming once again ghostly and benevolent. She took Amy's hand and the Doctor's, leaning over to give him a kiss.

He flinched.

"Take hold, Rory Pond," she said gently.

He scowled but gripped Amy's hand firmly.

"Let's go," she whispered and the chaos faded away into blinding light.

When Amy opened her eyes again, they were on the TARDIS. Safe. Whole. One piece. Alive. Together.

"Oh..." Rory breathed.

Bad Wolf smiled at him, dropping Amy's hand. "Yes. You're welcome."

Amy squeezed Rory's hand tighter.

"Ah, yes! Yes, back on board! All aboard! Whoo-whoo!" The Doctor exclaimed weakly, tugging at his hand still encased in Bad Wolf's.

"So... Are you..." Rory began. "Some sort of angel?"

She laughed.

The Doctor laughed too, but his tones were heavier and far less entertained. "Not an angel," he muttered before he finally squirmed away and placed himself on the opposite side of the console.

"Oh Doctor..." Bad Wolf crooned.

"No! No no! Absolutely _do_ not start! I need you out of my TARDIS and _very_ far away!"

"Doctor, what is going on here?" Amy asked. "Why–"

"We'll meet up again soon, Doctor. I miss you," Bad Wolf said, her glowing face turning sad. Then she turned and faded into nothing.

Amy whirled. "Alright. Enough of this. You tell us what's going on. Right now."

"Where to next!" He called out, voice tinged with hysterica. "What about the rainbow falls of Zalapuush! The ruby plains of Garmen Criyle! Or—"

"Doctor!" Rory snapped.

"Rory!" The Doctor barked back, fiddling with controls.

Rory slammed his hands down on top of the Doctor's. "Tell us. What's. Going. On."

"We need the whole story, Doctor," Amy added.

"I..." He looked between them, a sort of panic in his eyes.

"Now's as good a time as any," Amy said casually.

"Later," he pleaded quietly. "Please. Later."

Rory lifted his hands and nodded. "Fine."

"But you will tell us?" Amy asked. "Doctor?"

Rory thought he saw her at their next location. Amy at the following one after that. There were no more ghostly presences on the TARDIS that Amy perceived. She didn't exactly keep her eyes or ears open. She didn't want to know.

"Amy..." Rory said as he towelled his hair dry. "I really think this is getting too far."

Amy nodded, wringing her own shirt out over the tub.

"I mean... Just because you're angry, doesn't mean you should drop us in the river..."

Amy nodded again.

"And it isn't fair to take that anger out on people who have nothing to do with the situation..."

Amy nodded.

"I think it's time we sit him down and get him to explain the whole—"

"He won't tell you," soft tones said as Bad Wolf walked from nothing into the room.

The Ponds jumped, Amy scrabbling to cover herself with her shirt. "You could knock, you know!" She snapped.

"Sorry. You know. For the river." She looked human this time. Like a young girl, though her eyes still bled gold sometimes. She leaned against the frame of their bunk beds. "He won't tell you."

"And why not?" Amy pulled the shirt over her head, grimacing at the cold damp fabric against her skin.

"Because I remind him of his failure." She jerked her head at the love seat against the far wall. "Take a seat. I'll tell you the story.

"Once upon a time," she began without waiting for them to sit. "There was a girl—a shop girl, who worked in London and lived with her mum in a small flat. She had this sort of boyfriend. They hung around together because it was easy and convenient and they liked each other. She wasn't doing much with her life. And neither was he. She stayed late to close up at work on night, and something weird started to happen. She got cornered in the basement by all the shop dummies, and just when she thought it was the end, a hand grabbed hers, and she looked up into pale blue eyes and a kind mouth that said, 'Run.'

"Turns out he was an alien, and she helped him save the world from living plastic. He took her along in his blue box, and eventually she fell in love. Her mum hated him, but she wouldn't have left him for the world. Turns out they faced the end several times over. But they always got out of it together. When they faced the Daleks, however, he sent her away. He didn't want her to die, and he'd made a promise to her mum. Jackie Tyler. She is a fierce woman in all worlds. And so he sent her home with his blue box and the instructions to have a fantastic life."

She dropped her eyes and focused in on the Ponds, sitting flush against one another on the settee. She smiled. "He didn't love her yet. But she loved him so much... She couldn't stay and let him face the end alone. And so she created herself. She created Bad Wolf. For a short stretch of time she wasn't Rose Tyler anymore. She had looked into the heart of the TARDIS and become, fully, Bad Wolf. She had power over life and time and creation and destruction. So she took the TARDIS back to the far future, woke the dead, and destroyed the Daleks, saving her dear Doctor. But she couldn't handle Bad Wolf for very long, and so he kissed her, taking back all the Time. It wasn't meant for humans. And that's how she killed him.

She turned and wandered the length of the room, voice soft—perfect for story telling, if Amy bothered to think about it. "But he was reborn into a new man. A new man who wasn't quite ready. And Rose fell in love all over again. They fought monsters and aliens, played a trick on Queen Victoria, defeated Satan, and saved the world... But then the Daleks came back. And the Cybermen came. And it was all too much. So they had to save the world. Only this time... this time there wasn't a happy ending. This time, everybody didn't live..." Her face screwed up and her voice turned bitter, but she continued.

"This time, she was rescued by a father from another world that wasn't her father before she vanished into the Void to never return. And there was nothing for it. She couldn't stay on that other side of a wall without him. So she planned. And thought. And researched. And used every resource available to her. Because she was clever. The end result?"

She turned to Amy and Rory suddenly and they gasped. "What?" Amy blurted.

Bad Wolf smiled. "The dimension cannon. She built it to travel between the worlds. She saw worlds that the Doctor never helped. She saw worlds that the Doctor ruled. She saw worlds in which the Doctor died." She shrugged. "Some she helped. Some she didn't. Some didn't deserve her attention, and some were to broken for it. But she helped where she could. Because that's what he would have done." She shrugged again casually. "So she wandered. Through the worlds. Do you know how many years its been? How many years? Even I've lost track. It's been so many. And so hard to keep track when you're never in the same place, never in the same time... It gets all convoluted. I'm sure you understand... So I—"

"..ooo! Noo! NOOO! ROOOOOOOOOOSE! ROSE! NOOOOOOOOO!" The Doctor burst into the room, hair a mess, and eyes wild. "What did you tell them! What did you _tell_ them!"

"Doctor! Relax!" Amy jumped up out of her chair.

"NO!" He grabbed Amy's arms and then the front of Rory's shirt. "How _could_ you! ROSE."

Another half smile. She reached out and touched his arm. "You wouldn't tell them, Doctor." The name was a caress. "I had to. Because you wouldn't. You couldn't. I understand. I—" Her voice fell away into a shriek as the Doctor dropped his hands from Rory and Amy, swinging them around to grip Rose's shoulders. He shoved her back into the wall with a growl. And when she breathed his name over Amy's startled shout, his lips closed over hers and she sighed, going loose between the wall and him.

"Doctor!" Rory shouted, rushing forwards to pull him off of her.

"Rory! Rory, _wait_." Amy grabbed his arm. "Wait..." She repeated in hushed tones.

"Amy! What are we waiting for! He's attacking her!" Rory whispered furiously, yanking his arm out of her grasp.

"No... No, I think this is something different... I think they need this." She stared very hard at the Doctor, his hands planted now next to Bad Wolf's head, the woman's arms twined around his back, fisting his jacket.

"Um... Maybe we should leave."

Amy folded her arms, giving her husband a Look. "We're not going to leave our own room. Hey! Hey you two! Get a room that's not ours!"

The Doctor sprang back from Bad Wolf, flushed, and avoided their eyes. "Sorry. So sorry. Dreadfully sorry. I... I... You—" He jabbed a finger at the blonde. "I'm still angry with you. Ponds, I um... I should apologise. I shouldn't have... That is... My, this was very inappropriate..." He dropped his eyes and then groaned as Bad Wolf stepped back and faded through the wall. "Aw—no! Ro—ose!"

Later, in the kitchen over a hot cup of tea, Amy leaned forward on her elbows. "So."

"So. Yes. So. A brilliant opening conversation piece," the Doctor muttered. "Can mean anything, imply anything. It—"

"You love her."

Looking up at her sharply, the Doctor bobbled his mug, wincing as the hot liquid landed on his fingers. "Amy..."

"You knew her before. Yeah?"

"I...did." The Doctor shifted in his chair, looking rather like a boy who's just been caught tracking something dirty into the house.

"We..." Amy shifted herself, indicating herself and Rory. "Think that it's time for an intervention."

"Intervention? On whose behalf?"

"Yours, of course," Rory said. "Doctor, this isn't healthy."

The Time Lord rolled his eyes, brow creasing in a frown.

"Right," Amy agreed, "You need to... I dunno what you need to do, actually. But you need to do something."

"Right!" He jumped up.

"Sit!" Rory barked.

And promptly sat again.

"Does she know you love her?" Amy asked.

Following the curve of the table, the Doctor muttered, "She knows..."

"But did you _tell_ her," Rory said.

"Oh what do you _want_! I can't—what do you want from me!" the Doctor exploded. "You all want something—this is just one more—" He took a deep breath, pressing his hands flat to the table and fixing Amy and Rory with a hard stare. "This is something more than you've encountered. This is not something you can... you can _fix_. So please kindly butt out." Then rose and stalked into the control room.

"Clearly..." Rory said, "this is more serious than we thought."

Amy nodded.


	3. Part 3

It was another late night when Amy woke, stifling, as she pulled away from Rory's neck and rolled over, distance lessening the heat from his slender frame. "Loo..." she muttered when he stirred as she swung her feet onto the floor. Ridiculous bunk bed... Once more into the hall, she padded down the stretch, nearly falling as she scrabbled at the wall when she saw Bad Wolf leaning there casually around a corner. "Great. Thanks for that."

"Sorry," she said, the ethereal echo quality back in her voice. She seemed softer, bleeding into the background as if she belonged there.

"I don't think you are, but whatever. So...what are you?"

Bad Wolf cocked her head like the question confused her.

"You human?"

Pushing away from the wall, she was silent a moment before shrugging. "I dunno. I was. Once." She met Amy's eyes. "I don't think so anymore." Another half smile that didn't satisfy. "Now I'm just Bad Wolf."

"And you _were_?"

"I was Rose Tyler. Companion to the Doctor. Stuff of Legends," she said dreamily. "Defender of the Earth. And I was going to stay with him forever."

"Him. The Doctor?"

"Yes, Amy."

"And you travelled with him."

"Yeah. We travelled. Had fun. Faced the worlds. The universe. Saved the world. A couple of times. It was great."

"So why are you haunting him."

"Hau—" Rose laughed. "Haunting? No. No, I'm not haunting him. It's more..." She sighed. "It's more a... a game. I guess."

"A game. Oh really. Doesn't seem like a game to _him_." Amy folded her arms across her chest.

"Mm..." She hummed distantly. "I know. I'm sorry if... Well. It's hard to understand."

"Hard to understand? Bad Wo—Rose. You're making him crazy! This isn't okay! Not for him either. Both of you! You need to... Both of you are making each other miserable."

"Hm. Seems we can't help it, can we?" She smiled sweetly and turned away, pacing slowly.

Amy nodded. "Right. Well. The both of you are a bit messed up, aren'tcha."

Rose just smiled and faded back into the walls.

* * *

"Doctor... Doctor..."

He hunched over on his bed, pressing his hands over his ears. And then she was there, dressed in flowing white, kneeling before him, hands pressed to his knees, eyes aglow.

"Doctor... My Doctor..." Her lips arched down, eyes large and suddenly brown as the gold bled away.

"We can't... This isn't..."

"I know."

"No," he whispered hoarsely. "No, Rose, you don't know."

She smiled and cupped his cheek. "You look so young. I know you're trying to get away... I know I remind you of bad things. Things you don't want to remember. It's why you've gone so far away from me with this new body."

He shook his head.

"It's okay. Doctor, of all the people who know you, shouldn't I know you the best? We were going to stay to—"

"Don't say it..." He leaned into her hand. "Rose, you don't—I shouldn't... I shouldn't have let you become this. This isn't you. This isn't—"

"Oh, Doctor. Just as I will always love you, however you look, I will always be here for you. You only have to call."

He flinched and hunched in on himself further. "Rose..."

"Yes?"

"That's..." He heaved a sigh and flopped back on the bed. "That's just it," he said in a small voice. "That's just it, Rose. You can't."

"I can."

"You shouldn't have to."

"Doctor..." She said warmly, joining him up on the bed. "You always had my best interests at heart. And I have yours."

He threw her a wan smile. "It shouldn't have to be like this, you know."

"Of course. I'm Bad Wolf. I create myself."

"Yes... All that was and all that could be... I know, Rose. That wasn't... That was a mistake. You should never have done that."

"It allowed me to be with you. All these things that I've done. I built the dimension cannon. I followed you. I travelled worlds. I've seen so many things."

"Yes, but..." He rolled onto his side, propping his head up on an elbow. "You're a human—"

" _Was_ a human." She leaned back on his pillow. "Now I'm like you. I can go wherever I want." She paused, tilted her head. "Is that what bothers you? That I..." She laughed. "Doctor, I _chose_ this. I could have stopped at any moment. I wanted to be with you. I said 'forever,' didn't I? I meant it. I made my choices long ago. I meant it. You're not chasing me away, mister."

"You're chasing _me_ away."

"They're concerned about...us."  
"I know."

"I know you know," she grinned mischievously. Her hand came out and brushed his collar, looking more human than he'd seen her look in years. "Amy. She's sharp. She cares for you. They both do."

"I know."

"And I care for you."

"I know. Help me, I know."

"Don't say it like it's a bad thing."

"Rose..."

"Say my name again."

"Rose." He smiled at her, mouth quirking up on one side the way his last body's never did.

"I'll stay whenever you want."

He reached out and cupped a hand around the back of her neck. "I know you would." Pulled her close. "I don't deserve you."

"Damn right you don't," she murmured.

Kissed her lips.

"But you've got me," she said when she had air.

Rolling over, he buried his lips against her neck. "I don't deserve you. I'm sorry—I'm so so sor—"

"Don't you _dare_. Don't you dare be sorry." She wrapped her arms around him. "I'm not. I'm not sorry at all..." She arched under his touch.

He pulled back and grinned at her. "I _am_ sorry if I'm a little clumsy. This body still hasn't gotten used to..."

Giggling, she scooted down the bed and pulled the bow tie apart, flicking the buttons open on his shirt. "It's fine. You're fine... Come on..." And kissed him hard.

* * *

Rory woke early, stumbling down to the kitchen to get started on tea, maybe some breakfast for himself and Amy. Maybe some extra. The Doctor rarely ate with them. But sometimes he did, and when he did... well. Helpings for three people weren't hardly enough.

"AAH! YOU." He fell back against the door frame, throwing a finger out at the blonde at the table, nursing a mug of something.

She smiled. "Rory Pond. Good morning. Kettle's on. Feel free to help yourself. I made breakfast."

He narrowed her eyes.

"Don't worry. It's perfectly wholesome. I didn't poison it or anything."

"I... didn't think you would..." Rory muttered, dropping his eyes as his cheeks felt hot.

"I'm not a horrible person, you know."

" _Are_ you a person?"

"Oh Rory. We've met before, you know."

He blinked. "We have?"

"Yes. Though I doubt you remember it. You were too busy with your precious box."

"Hey! That 'precious' box held—"

"Amy; I know. It's fine. You did good by her."

Rory shook his head and then sank into a chair across from Rose. "Why are you here? How do you know so much about us."

"I've been following you for a while. Which, I assume you know."

"How can you get here when the TARDIS is in space."

Rose smiled, like holding a secret in. "We're old friends. The TARDIS and I. We're...connected. Partially how I can always find the Doctor. Well. Now that I've learned how to recognise it, anyway. I started out bouncing all over the place—different planets, worlds, time periods. It was a mess. I met quite a lot of the the companions and Doctors. But I can always focus in on the old girl—sorry, _sexy_ old girl—" Rose grinned, casting a glance around the room. "And come home."

"Interesting that you call it home."

"It's always been home. For years now. I've no one to go 'back' to except for the Doctor. Sorry, that makes me sound quite dependent, doesn't it..." She brushed her hair over her shoulder and tucked her robe around her more tightly. "I'm not. He asked me how long I was going to stay with him. I said forever. I meant it. So I'm following through on my promise. Because... Well. You know. I love him. And he needs me too."

"He's got us."

"Course he does. He needs you too. But I'm different."

"Oh you're different all right..." Rory muttered.

Rose only leaned back and laughed. "Don't you worry, Rory. I think the Doctor and I have it all sorted."

"Sorted. You say you're sorted? Listen, Bad Wolf—"

"Rose."

"Rose. Whoever you are. I don't think something like what's going on between the two of...you...can... Doctor...?" Rory stared over Rose's shoulder, eyes going wide, mouth slack.

Rose's brows went up and she swivelled to see what Rory was staring at. "Doctor, I think you've broken him!"

The Doctor wandered into the kitchen, bathrobe hanging open to the waist, hair sticking up wildly. The more obvious horror, to Rory, were probably the love bites all over the Doctor's chest. And neck. And what could be seen of the Doctor's thigh when the material swished and parted. He grinned, still looking a bit dazed. "Hullo..."

Rose ducked her head and turned her attentions back to her tea, flushed and smiling, really quite pleased with herself.

Things were quite while the Doctor puttered around before the stove and Rose's ready-made breakfast, Rory sat very quietly, avoiding looking at either the Doctor _or_ Rose, and Rose drank her tea.

"Good morn—AAAH!" Amy yelled, catching an eyeful of the Doctor's war wounds.

"Just look at the floor, Amy," Rory said, voice strained. "Everything's normal on the floor."

"Right. This is. Weird. I'm weirded out. _Very_ weirded out."

"What?" The Doctor protested. "You two do it all the time!"

"OH-kay. _That's_ something we're not talking about!" Amy said, quickly grabbing herself a mug and making tea.

"Alright then." The Doctor sniffed and pulled up a chair next to Rose. "That's fine. So long as we're not talking about, let's not talk about it."

"You should stop bragging about it though!" Amy blurted.

"Bragging? I've said nothing. How could I be bragging?" The Doctor replied, confusion written in the crease of his brows, the purse of his lips.

Without turning around, Amy flapped a hand at him. " _That_. Your...dressing gown! Open like that."

"You're showing off," Rory added.

"What? I—"

"Doctor, they mean cover up," Rose said, laughter in her voice. "You're showing off the results of last night."

"Last— _ooh_." He promptly flushed and jerked his collar up around his neck. "Sorry!" He jumped up, bumping the table, and flying back down the hallway. Rose's laughter followed him.

"So... ah... Is this going to be a thing?" Amy asked, finally joining them at the table.

"What do you me—"

"Oh don't play daft."

Rose shrugged. "Is it alright with you?"

The Ponds looked surprised.

Leaning forward on her elbows, Rose fixed them with a gold-tinged gaze. "I'm asking you now; I plan on being around. Is this going to get in your way? Am I going to throw a proverbial kink in the day-to-day."

"I think you did that the day you showed up," Amy said, sipping her tea.

"Yeah. Probably."

"Well I don't care," Amy said, flopping back.

Rory looked at her with a small smile and folded his arms. "If it means he's happier, I don't care either."

"Great," Rose said, her tongue poking between her teeth as her lips spread. "Because I think we're going to have a shag. And he's _much_ noisier than his last self."

"Oh God," Rory moaned. "Did not need to know that."

"We could make it a competition. Who's noisier?"

"That...is _never_ going to happen..." Amy said.

Rose shrugged again and drained the last of her tea before setting the mug down in the sink. She sauntered from the kitchen, back the way the Doctor had fled, hands trailing along the TARDIS walls. She murmured something that Amy and Rory couldn't hear before laughing softly and vanishing.

"I think this is going to get very awkward."

"Yeah. Great. Nice job, Captain Obvious," Amy grumbled, hunching over her tea.

"Well. We could... you know."

"What, Rory."

He looked sidelong at his wife. "Make it uh...a competition."

Almost dropping her tea, Amy's eyes went wide. "You're mad."

Rory gave her a small sly smile.

"Mad."

Angled himself towards her.

"Augh! Fine!" Amy grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the kitchen, back to their bunk beds. "I hate our life."

"No you don't."

"No. Not even a little."


End file.
